Piano.



C. MEHLIN.

PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-26, 19H.

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

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m T 6 J v @IHE "NW. E :1 2 t 8 M g INVENTOR WITNESSES 2L2 W I ATTORNEYS APPLICATION FILED DEC.26. 1914.

WITNESSES wfl 1 JW O77.

C. MEHLIN.

PIANO.

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

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qz/Lg IN1IEIVTOR V C.-MEHLIN.

PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.26. 1914.

1,164,005, Patented Dec. 14, 191-5.

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s Ga J ii COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH (20., WASHINGTON, n, c.

CHARLES MEHLIN, OF FORT LEE, NEW JERSEY.

PIANO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

Application filed December 26, 1914. Serial No. 878,989.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES MEHLIN, a. citizen of the United States, residing in Fort Lee, Bergen county, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pianos, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof. s

In ordinary piano construction the plane of the sounding-board and the plane or planes in which the strings lie are parallel and the bridge of the treble and middle strings and the bridge of the bass strings are each of uniform height from end to end. The bridge of the treble and middle strings is usually of uniform width, while the bridge of the bass strings is usually tapered from the lowermost bass end upward (with reference to the musical scale), being widest where it bears the heaviest string and narrowest where it bears the lightest of the bass strings.

In accordance with the invention the sounding-board and the strings are placed, not in parallel planes, but in planes which are relatively inclined, diverging from a line across one end or side of the piano plate toward the other end or side in the general direction of the-length of the strings, each bridge increasing in height from its upper end (with reference to the scale) to its lower end. The shortest of the treble strings is thus nearest to the sounding-board throughout its length, while the longest of the strings, although at the same distance from the sounding-board at one end, is much farther from the sounding-board at the other end. The mean distance of each string therefore increases from the treble end downward throughout the series of treble and middle strings, the length of which progresses considerably from one end of the series to the other. The same thing is true also of the bass strings, although in a less marked degree because of the less marked degree in length of this'series.

The invention will be more fully explained hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which it is illustrated and in which- Figure 1 isaplan view of so much of a grand piano constructed in accordance with the invention as is necessary to enable the invention to be understood. Figs. 2 and 3 are partial views on a larger scale in section on the plane indicated by the line 22 of Fig. 1, Fig. 2 showing also a portion of the key-board, only one of a group of strings and pins being illustrated in each instance. Fig. at is a partial view in section on the plane indicated by the line 4. l of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a partial view in section on the plane indicated by the line 55 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detail view on a smaller scale illustrating the arrangement of the sounding-board ribs. Fig. 7 is a view in elevation of so much of an upright piano as is necessary to enable the invention to be understood. Fig. 8 is a view in section on the plane indicated by the line s-s of Fig. 7.

Referring first to the construction shown in Figs. 1-6, it will be seen that the piano may comprise as usual an outer rim (2; and, conforming thereto, an inner rim 6, a key bottom 0, the usual action (Z, together with the keys (Z and the hammers (Z and the iron plate 6. Arranged substantially as usual are the hitch-pin portion 6 of the plate 6 in which are secured the hitch-pins e for the treble and middle strings f, the hitch-pin portion 6 of the plate 6, in which are arranged the hitch-pins e for the heavy bass strings g, which as usual overlie the treble strings, the wrest-plank h, in which are mounted the wrest-pins h for all the strings, the bearing bars 6 and e for the treble strings and the agraifes e for the heavy bass strings. A rail'b also supports as usual the cross block 6 upon which rests the front end of the sounding-board 2'. The latter is stiffened by the usual stiffening ribs 2 Usually the inner rim 5 at the back or hitch-pin end of the frame is of equal height with the cross block 6 so that the soundingboard is parallel with the bottom of the case, and the iron plate 6 is so supported that it is substantially parallel with the sounding-board and with the bottom of the case In the present instance, however, the inside rim 1) is lower at the hitch-pin end of the frame than at any other point and lower than the cross block b so that the sounding-board i, is inclined with respect to the bottom of the case, and blocks 6 are placed between the rear or hitch-pin end of the sounding-board z and the corresponding end of the iron frame 6, so that the distance between theviron frame and the soundingboard at that end is greater than it is at the forward end of the frame. It is imma terial what the relation of the soundingedg'e, conforming to its curvature.

board or of the plane of the iron plate or string plate is to the bottom of the case, but it is essential that the plane of the sounding-board and the general plane of the strings shall diverge, as shown clearly in Figs. 2-5, so that the mean distance between each string and the sounding-board shall increase from the shortest treble string, as indicated in Fig. 5, to the longest steel string and the longest heavy bass string, as shown in Fig. 3. r

The bridge 7c for the treble and middle strings follows the general curvature of the line of hitch-pins 0 being practically at right angles to the strings at the upper end and oblique to the strings at the lower end (with reference to the scale), so that the shorter steel strings have a shorter bearing on the bridge than do the longer strings, and have a correspondingly freer vibration, as is highly desirable in the case of the shorter strings. This desirable result is further increased by making the bridge, at the point where it supports the shorter strings, narrower than at 1ts other end. Furthermore,

the bridge 70, by reason of its curvature,

following generally the curvature of the line of hitch-pins, increases in height from the extreme treble end toward the longer strings.

The bridge m for the heavy bass strings is also formed so as to assist in securing uniformity of tone-quality between the several heavy bass strings and especially to minimize the difference in tone quality between the longest of the steel strings f and the shortest of the heavy bass strings 9. To these ends the bridge m is formed as shown clearly in Figs. 3 and 4, comprising a block or bar m which, like the bridge it, rests upon and is glued to the soundingboard z, a board m which at its forwardedge is glued upon the block or bar m and is of varying width, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, being tapered ofi' nearly to a point under the heaviest bass string, and a block or bar m which is glued upon the board m at its rear Under the extreme lower heavy bass string the block or bar 111. stands substantially in line with the block or bar m, while under the shortest of the heavy bass strings the board 012. is widest and the block or bar m is offset to the greatest extent from the block or bar m whereby the support for the thinner and shorter bass strings is more elastic and the vibrations thereof are freer. Not only is the quality of tone of the heavy bass strings thus rendered more uniform, but the change in' tone from the lightest of the wound or heavy bass strings g to the longest of the steel strings g, which has a bearing but slightly more elastic and has a mean cupola construction of the hitch-pin portion 6 of the. string plate, as shown in Figs. 3 and a, as well as through the distance between this portion of the string plate and the sounding-board i, there is formed be tween the string plate and the soundingboard a chamber which adds to the sonorous quality and duration of the tone.

So far as concerns the special features of construction in which the present improvements are involved, the embodiment of the invention in an upright piano, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, is substantially identical with that shown in Figs. 16. The iron plate or string plate e is shown as standing in a substantially vertical plane, with the soundingboard i inclined with respect thereto as shown, so that the plane of the string plate and the plane of the sounding-board diverge from the wrest plank it? toward the hitch-pins 6 and 6 and the mean distance between each string and the sounding-board therefore increases from the shortest treble string to the longest bass string. treble and middle strings increases in height from the treble toward the bass end and the bridge m for the heavy bass strings is formed in the same manner as previously described, tapering in width toward the heaviest bass string.

It will be understood that various changes in details of construction and arrangement may be made to suit different makes or styles The bridge is for the of pianos and that the invention is not limited tothe particular constructions shown and described herein or either of them.

I claim as my invention 1. A piano having its strings of different lengths and its sounding-board fixed in a' plane diverging from all of the strings in the general direction of length of the strings, the mean distance of each string from the sounding-board increasing with the length of the string.

A piano having strings of different lengths andits string plate and its sounding-board fixed in planes diverging in the general direction of length of the strings, the mean distance of each string from the I sounding-board increasing with the length of the string.

3. A piano having a single string plate for all of the strings and a sounding-board fixed in planes diverging from the wrest-pin side in the general direction of length of the strings.

l. A piano having a series of strings and a sounding-board fixed in a plane diverging from all of the strings in the general direca' series of wrest-pins and a curved series of hitch-pins, a sounding-board, the string plate and the sounding-board diverging from the Wrest-pin side toward the other side, and a bridge following generally the curve of the series of hitch-pins and increasing in height from the shorter strings to the longer strings.

6. In a piano, the combination of a sounding-board and a series of strings diverging from the wrest-pin side toward the other side, and a bridge interposed between the strings and the sounding-board increasing in height from the shorter strings and narrower under the shorter strings than under the longer strings.

7. In a piano, the combination with the sounding-board and the heavy bass strings, of a bridge tapering in width from the lightest of the heavy bass strings to the heaviest of such strings.

S. In a piano, the combination with the sounding-board and the heavy bass strings, of a bridge composed of a block secured to the sounding-board, a board secured at one edge to said block and tapering in Width toward the heaviest bass string, and a block secured upon said board at its other edge for contact with the strings, whereby the lighter of the heavy bass strings have a more elastic support than the heavier of such strings.

This specification signed and witnessed his 22nd day of December A. D., 1914.

CHARLES MEHLIN.

Signed in the presence of- HELEN M. DAMEs, IVoRTHINGToN CAMPBELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

